Spartanburg Methodist softball’s Hannah Knight, who was named Region 10 player of the year Thursday on the eve of the league tournament, said she feels slow when the runs.

Yeah, right. She’s a speed demon.

It must be one of those things like when you’re running in your dreams. Your feet feel heavy and it’s like you’re wearing cement boots.

But in real life, Knight can downright fly. The sophomore from Buford High School has 54 stolen bases this season and has been caught only three times. Two of those were at third base and on the other, the shortstop probably should have been called for obstruction for blocking second base.

“I don’t give her signs. She always has the green light,” SMC head coach Thad Fox said. “Occasionally, I might say, ‘Wait a minute. Let’s pick a pitch.’ But most of the time, I just point to second.”

And shortly after that, Knight is usually next to Fox in the third-base coaching box.

Recently, she even stole home. When the catcher started to toss the ball back to the pitcher, Knight took off. Fox didn’t give her the sign to do that, either.

“He said, ‘Well, thanks for telling me you were leaving me,’ ” Knight said. “I was like, ‘Sorry. I wasn’t sure I was going to do it.’ ”

Knight ranks sixth in the country in total steals and third in steals per game. The only ones ahead of her are Taylor Clinkenbeard of Central Alabama Community College, who has 84 steals in 86 tries; and Kaylee Jones of Muscatine Community College, who has swiped 74 without being caught.

And if you think the 5-foot-5 Knight is just slap hitter and bunter who just beats out grounders, think again. She’s got three home runs, three triples and is fourth on the team in runs batted in.

“She has more power than people think,” Fox said. “We’ve gotten away from bunting and just let her hit. She hits the ball hard, gets line drives and goes opposite field. She’s just a good hitter.”

About This Blog

Todd Shanesy is an award-winning sports writer who has been twice honored nationally by the Associated Press and more than three dozen times by the South Carolina Press Association. He is a native of Troy, Ohio, and studied journalism at Marshall University (1987 graduate). Shanesy is a former sports editor of the Florence (S.C.) Morning News and has been with the Spartanburg Herald-Journal since 1991.

Follow him two ways on Twitter: @ToddShanesySHJ and @TerrierTracker (for everything Wofford-related).